Football – Two second-half goals from Dominic Solanke and a sublime James Maddison free kick helped Tottenham Hotspur to come from behind and overwhelm Aston Villa 4-1 yesterday, ending the visitors’ seven-match unbeaten run in the Premier League.
Unai Emery’s Villa led at halftime through Morgan Rogers, but Spurs were level soon after the break when Brennan Johnson tapped in at the far post.
Solanke’s two goals in four minutes, including a flowing team move finished off with a delightful dink over Emiliano Martinez, secured the win, before Maddison curled in a free kick in stoppage time.
Emery, whose side had looked comfortable in the first half, said he was disappointed with the result, but not too worried about the manner of the defeat.
Villa’s goal punctuated a drab first half at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, with Rogers poking home from a yard out after Lucas Digne’s corner was flicked on into the six-yard box.
Spurs skipper Son Heung-min provided an assist on his return from injury, whipping an excellent outswinging ball across the goal for Johnson to slot home at the back post shortly after halftime.
Ange Postecoglou’s Spurs had struggled to break down Villa in the first half, largely resorting to shots from distance, but they upped their intensity in the second period and two quick goals from Solanke sealed the win.
His first was a flowing one-touch team move, with Solanke latching on to Dejan Kulusevski’s cute pass and chipping the ball over the onrushing Martinez.
Minutes later, a mistake by Villa defender Pau Torres set Spurs charging forward again with second-half substitute Richarlison squaring for Solanke to grab his second goal.
Postecoglou was full of praise for Solanke, a 65-million-pound signing from Bournemouth this summer, describing his effort levels as “unbelievable”.
Maddison put the gloss on a fine display late on, caressing the ball around the Villa wall from 20 yards out and into the top corner past a helpless Martinez.
Spurs have bounced back well from a disappointing defeat at Crystal Palace last weekend, knocking Manchester City out of the League Cup in midweek, but Postecoglou was keen to stay grounded.
Moises Caicedo’s blistering second-half strike cancelled out a penalty from Bruno Fernandes as Chelsea salvaged a 1-1 draw with Manchester United, spoiling United’s celebrations in their first Premier League game since the sacking of manager Eric ten Hag.
Chelsea are fourth in the table on 18 points while United, who had interim manager Ruud van Nistelrooy in the dugout, are 13th on 12 points after 10 games.
United’s captain Fernandes scored from the spot in the 70th minute after Chelsea goalkeeper Robert Sanchez caught Rasmus Hojlund’s foot when diving for the ball. Fernandes sent Sanchez the wrong way, prompting a delighted Van Nistelrooy to leap in the air in celebration.
But the mood in Old Trafford swiftly shifted four minutes later when Casemiro failed to fully clear Chelsea’s corner, leaving Caicedo to fire a low volley that Andre Onana managed to just get a hand on, though he could not stop it sailing into the bottom corner.
Ten Hag was sacked on Monday with United languishing in 14th in the Premier League. Ruben Amorim was named as his replacement on Friday and will arrive at the club on November 11.
A common refrain from Ten Hag was United’s inability to score goals – only Crystal Palace and lowly Southampton have fewer than United’s nine – and it was more of the same yesterday.
Alejandro Garnacho nearly broke the deadlock in added time, firing a long shot that glanced just over the crossbar before Fernandes missed a sitter seconds later, lashing a shot from the centre of the box well over the net.
Right before the final whistle, Garnacho worked the ball down the left before sending a cross to Joshua Zirkzee, whose shot deflected off a Chelsea defender and over the net, to groans from the Old Trafford crowd.
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